International Offerings at Burns & Co. August auction

If your automotive tastes swing towards vehicles from the US, Europe and Japan, you’ll find something that appeals at Burns & Co. Auctions’ Classic Car & Motorbike Auction this coming Sunday, 7 August.

There are a bunch of desirable Aussie cars up for grabs, too, as well as motorcycles and multiple items of automobilia available amongst the 85 lots on offer.

Pre-bidding for registered bidders is open now, with selling commencing from 12 Noon on Sunday, 7 August, at Burns & Co’s Melbourne auction rooms in Bayswater.

For more details on this live webcast auction, click HERE.

Here are a few of the highlights amongst the going to auction this Sunday:

1994 Dodge Viper RT/10 roadster

What was presented in concept form at the 1989 Detroit Auto Show became a production reality three years later as the Viper RT/10.

Powered by an 8.0-litre V10 truck engine matched to a six-speed transmission developed by Lamborghini, the Viper was seen as a rebirth of the classic Shelby Cobra roadster.

The raw nature of the Viper meant creature comforts were at a minimum, with no safety features like ABS or ESC, either, but the Viper was fast, with 0-100km/h in under 5.0 seconds and a top speed in excess of 250km/h.

Not much had changed between the 1992 debut model and the example from 1994 pictured (a second-generation version arrived for 1996), so there was still no air con, side windows or removable roof, but a rudimentary fabric roof panel and clip-in sidescreens were standard.

The example shown here runs the standard 8.0-litre V10 and six-speed manual, and retains its left-hand drive configuration, as well as peculiar features like seatbelts that are incorporated into the doors.

The factory red exterior is matched to a leather-accented grey vinyl interior, with both in good condition, although the interior does show some wear and tear around the dash.

With 45,753 miles on the odometer, this Viper currently wears aftermarket wheels, but the originals will be included with the sale. Described by Burns & Co as a vehicle that’s hard to find and rarely offered for sale, this first-generation Viper had already gathered more than $30,000 in pre-bids ahead of the auction.

For more details, click HERE.

1957 Chevrolet sedan delivery

The popularity of 1957 Chevys means there are plenty to choose from, but these are mostly sedans and convertibles. Sedan deliveries like this are much, much rarer and would cease to be offered after 1960.

This example, like many other surviving examples of these vans, has been customised inside, outside and underneath, starting with a 327 V8, which wouldn’t be available on full-size Chevys like this until 1962. In this vehicle, the small block V8 is matched to a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission.

Exterior custom touches include Bel Air side trim that these sedan deliverys were never offered with when new, along with Centerline-style alloys, wide tyres and custom pearlescent green paint.

Inside, this ’57 sedan delivery is mostly stock, and continues the Bel Air trim upgrade applied to exterior, with custom trimmed bucket seats, too.

Paperwork supplied with the vehicle show it’s a fairly recent arrival in Australia, with import papers dated to 2020.

Previously on Victorian club registration, this rare custom Chevy sedan delivery will be sold unregistered and would make a great club car or eye-catching promotional vehicle for a range of businesses.

For more details on this car, click HERE.

1976 Datsun 260Z

Known as the Fairlady Z in its native Japan, the 260Z and its 240Z predecessor is the archetypal Japanese sports car for a generation of enthusiasts.

Defined by its six-cylinder engine sitting under a long bonnet in a curvaceous, sporty body, the 240Z was a hit worldwide, with its success later replicated by the smaller, lighter and more nimble Mazda MX-5 in the sportscar field.

This example is an Australian-delivered unit, but instead of the factory 2.6-litre six, it now runs a slightly newer 2.8-litre Nissan engine, matched to a 5-speed manual transmission.

Finished in silver with Minilite-style wheels and a black vinyl interior, the car is showing its age in some areas, with the owner confessing it could do with a tune.

With the current owner for the past 17 years, this sought-after 260Z has had a repaint, a mild cam fitted, Tokico shock upgrade and a Nardi steering wheel added, but remains stock in most other areas.

If the buyer of this car is based in Victoria, they’ll have the opportunity to purchase ‘FLDYZD’ (Fairlady Z) custom rego plates, too.

For more details, click HERE.

1991 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

Sold new in the UK, this Mercedes was imported to Australia in approximately 2001 and has covered few miles in its 20+ years here, with 86,794 miles showing on the odometer at time of consignment.

Described as a very neat and tidy example of a 500SL, this car is finished in burgundy with a beige interior, while under the bonnet, a 5.0-litre V8 is matched to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

To be sold with books, pre-bidding on this car was sitting at just over $12,000 at time of writing.

For more details, click HERE.

1956 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

A big, bold and beautiful piece of automotive Americana, this classic Caddy convertible is stock in most areas and is in original, unrestored condition inside and out.

The aquamarine exterior and two-tone turquoise and black interior is likely the same colour combination this car left the factory with and is very appropriate for the period it was built.

If the underbonnet spec is as original as the exterior and interior (and it looks like it is), the drivetrain will be made up of a 365 cubic inch V8, matched to a four-speed automatic.

In Australia for the past 15 years, this car could do with some refurbishment if it was to be put into service as a hire car for weddings and formals, or just left as is and enjoyed as a club car.

For more details on this car, click HERE.

1993 Maserati Biturbo 430

Rarely do Maseratis from this era come up for auction, mainly because there are so few examples in the country to begin with. Of the Biturbo 430, only 995 examples were built between 1986 and 1994, with this one delivered new to Australia in 1993 and sold through the ‘House of Maserati’ in Sydney’s ritzy Rose Bay.

Finished in metallic Rifle Grey with 15-inch alloys, a sunroof and a cream leather and suede interior, the latter is accented with genuine walnut veneer in the doors, dash and centre console. The handbrake, shifter knob and steering wheel are trimmed in wood, too.

This Maserati is powered by the twin turbo V6 that gives the car its ‘Biturbo’ name, and as a ‘430’, it means it’s the larger 2.8-litre version, introduced to replace the earlier 2.5-litre engine. Matched to a four-speed automatic transmission in this vehicle, the 2.8 engine produced 165kW and was the largest version of the V6 Maserati offered in the Biturbo.

This Maserati is described as being in excellent original condition and “packed full of features”. Offered with the original service books and owner’s manual, as well as additional keys, the odometer currently shows 51,542kms, with the service history showing it was maintained up to 47,175km, including detailed maintenance records from 2014 and 2015.

For more details on this car, click HERE.

For more details on other lots from this live webcast auction, as well as information on how to bid, click HERE.